Growth, thermal and polarized spectral properties of Er3+-doped Li3Ba2La3(MoO4)8 crystal

Er3+:Li3Ba2La3(MoO4)(8) crystal has been grown by the top seeded solution growth method (TSSG). The principal coefficients of thermal expansion along a, b and c axes were precisely measured to be 1.69 x 10(-5), 1.85 x 10(-5) and 1.96 x 10(-5) K-1, respectively. The specific heat value was 0.42 J/g K at 325 K. The polarized spectral properties of Er3+:Li3Ba2La3(MoO4)(8) crystal were investigated and the spectroscopic parameters were calculated and analyzed based on the Judd-Ofelt theory. The emission cross-sections at 1535 nm were determined to be 10.6 x 10(-21) cm(2), 12.0 x 10(-21) cm(2), and 11.7 x 10(-21) cm(2) for E vertical bar vertical bar b, E vertical bar vertical bar D1 and E vertical bar vertical bar D2, respectively. Two up-conversion fluorescence bands around 530 and 550 nm were observed with 977 nm excitation, and the possible up-conversion mechanisms were proposed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.